Brother
by TwinKoi
Summary: "'This land is ours,' said the boy softly, looking upon their new home with fondness and a love he did not yet recognize."


"I see land!" cried the viking, pointing out across the sea to the distant land peaking up from the horizon line. Noisy cheers and loud voices boomed against the crash of the waves and the howl of the wind in victory and hope. Yet another stretch of land lay before them, ready for conquering.

A smirk upturned the pale lips of the boy standing at the helm of the ship. His clear, blue eyes were locked upon the mass of land that slowly grew as they neared it. His heart swelled with joy in his chest; that warm feeling of fortune smiling down upon him. After weeks of sailing, they stumbled upon land that was unknown to them. It was full of new finds and opportunities, but most importantly, a chance to expand their territory.

The ageless boy tucked his neat, blond hair behind his ear, carrying the weight of his people on his shoulders. He needed this land to be his own, to prove that he was strong and was a force to be reckoned with.

As they neared the land, the rocky shores came into view, flecked with countless numbers of birds. The boy watched in amazement as the birds dove into the water effortlessly, surfacing with their orange and black beaks full of fish. He was entranced by the creatures, never before seeing birds of this type. He knew then that they found something special. He barked orders in his native tongue to anchor the ship and prepare to go to shore. He was itching to step upon this new land for the first time.

Ready with weapons and supplies, he took the first step unto the pebble beach, standing proud upon the shore. He listened carefully for any sign of life, but only the coos of the birds and the gentle roar of the ocean met his ears. Sending a search party into the mainland, they quickly discovered that they were the only humans there.

"This land is ours," said the boy softly, looking upon their new home with fondness and a love he did not yet recognize.

Within the following months, they settled along the island. Their little village stretched along the protective rocks, nestled within the greenery that bloomed with the warmer season. With the arrival of spring, came the birth of new life. Newly hatched pufflings were seen amongst the rocks, fed and protected by their pair of parents.

It amused the fair haired boy that the birds remained in pairs and took care of the little chick together. He didn't understand the feeling, but was jealous of the little family. A heavy weight rested in his gut, like he was forgetting something or needed to protect a loved one. But he knew Denmark was capable of fending for himself, and he would never admit to liking the giant oaf. His people were thriving and growing on the new island with ease.

But with all the success and luck they had encountered, he felt like something was missing from this land. The weight in his gut and the hollowness in his heart worried him. He worried for his people, hoping the feeling wasn't a bad omen.

While sitting around the fire, roasting off some fish his people caught, one of the women ran up to him in a panic. Her motherly eyes were full of worry, making Norway's heart sink. Perhaps this was the horrible fate he was secretly dreading.

"There is a child stuck up on the rocks. The women and I have heard his poor cries for days. We don't think he'll survive much longer," she said in a rush, pointing up at the rocks the puffins nested upon.

"But how did a child get up there," he said to himself, a little relieved that their village wasn't falling apart, but suspicious about the child. A human child would never survive more than a night on his own, exposed to the winds and cold ocean spray.

Gathering a group of men, they scaled the rocks in search of the child, making sure to move quickly in fear of losing the child's life. The puffins around them cooed and hopped up the rocks, as if guiding them in the right direction. Eventually, the rocks began to level out, revealing a grass-covered plateau.

A rather large puffin fluttered down to waddle along side of Norway, cooing softly and gazing up at him expectantly. A little startled by the bird, Norway blinked down at the bird and cautiously followed it. The other men murmured amongst themselves, suspecting this was a sign from their gods. The bird led the boy along the moss covered rocks and soon the cries of a small child filtered through the air. No longer waiting for guidance from the puffin, Norway rushed forward and followed the cries.

Hastily pushing aside the grass, he came upon a small boy cradled in a nest of seaweed and moss. He gasped softly, knowing immediately that the boy was no human, but one of his own kind. An immortal embodiment of his people. The child was beautiful with his pale, silvery blond hair covering his head and his large, violet eyes gazing up at him. Large tears streamed down his rosy cheeks, flushed from crying. The little child hiccuped and whined, taking in a gasp of air ready to start crying once more.

"Nei, shhh. You're safe," whispered Norway softly, reaching down to scoop the little boy up in his arms. The moment he cradled the boy in his arms, he felt whole again. The hole in his chest was filled with a warm feeling and the knot his gut gone. This little boy, his baby brother, gave him a purpose and a role. He would watch over this tiny little boy as he grew, keeping him safe and loved. This was the family he wanted and craved for.

The small boy slowly quieted and the tears dried on his cheeks, his eyes never leaving Norway's face. Leaning down, Norway gently brushed his lips against his forehead in a soothing gesture. The boy giggled softly, reaching up at Norway as he pulled back. He offered the boy his finger, who immediately gripped on, his tiny hand wrapped around his index finger.

A small, but warm smile lit up Norway's face, an expression rarely seen on him. The boy in his arms echoed the smile, silently sharing the brotherly warmth. They didn't need words or sounds to express the unconditional love they had for each other. It was an instant feeling, they didn't need anyone to tell them what they were or who they were to each other. They were connected, and that was all they needed.

"My bror," breathed Norway quietly, holding the boy tightly in his arms as he slowly returned to the group, showing them his new brother. Looking upon the men, he knew they were no longer his men, but the people of the boy in his arms. A new nation, a new power, a new member of the Nordic family.

...

Waking from his dream filled with old memories, Norway rolled over to face his sleeping brother. The smaller boy snuck into his room that night, seeking comfort and warmth to fight off his nightmares. Iceland's face was completely relaxed in a blissful sleep, his full lips parted as he breathed lightly. Norway fondly brushed Iceland's feathery soft hair back from his forehead to place a light kiss to his skin. The affection awoke Iceland, blinking at his brother sleepily, with a light smile on his face.

"Bror, what is it?" he asked, yawning widely as Norway gently pet at his cheek.

"Nothing, just sleep," whispered Norway, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy, pulling him against him.

Iceland sighed softly as he snuggled into Norway's chest, soaking up his body heat. He nuzzled lightly at the other's collar bone, so content to stay like this for hours. Even with his new found independence, Iceland couldn't bring himself to stay far from Norway. He had his own "home" now, but it seemed so empty and lonely without his brother there. Being apart from Norway was a new experience for him. From the beginning of his existence, Norway had been at his side, quietly watching over him.

Norway kept his protective grip on the young boy, even as the door to his bedroom creaked open. The tall, blond haired Dane grinned at the pair of them widely as he slowly crept inside. Norway narrowed his eyes at him, silently vowing to murder him if he awoke Iceland.

"I thought I banished you to the couch," hissed Norway, glaring up at Denmark as he stood over them.

Denmark chuckled softly and slipped into bed next to him, cause the bed to dip from his weight. Iceland whined from the shift and buried his face deeper against his brother's neck. Norway let out a huff and wiggled slightly to make room for the large Dane and to keep Iceland comfortable in his arms. Leave it to Denmark to ruin a perfectly good bonding moment.

"Awe, come on. You missed me sleeping next to you," whispered Denmark in Norway's ear, coiling his arm around his waist teasingly.

Norway let out a warning growl; he would have elbowed Denmark in the gut by now if it haven't been for Iceland nestled in his arms. The small bickering has awoken Iceland, much to his distaste. His violet eyes bore into Denmark in a cold glare, one that could rival Norway. Iceland was normally a calm being, but once denied sleep, he was a cranky little teen.

"Oi, calm down little ice cube," laughed Denmark, reaching over to ruffle Iceland's hair gently.

"Gn! Stop it!" yelped Iceland, trying to seek refuge by snuggling tighter against Norway's chest. Norway sighed loudly and reached down to roughly pinch Denmark's thigh.

"OW! Damn, that hurt!" Denmark pouted like a wounded puppy, resting his chin on Norway's shoulder.

"Good, it was supposed to. Now, can we please just sleep?" said Norway with a heavy sigh, already settling back comfortably as he snuggled Iceland warmly. He could hear Denmark chuckling behind him and his body heat soaking through his pajamas as the other fit against him. Denmark's long and strong arms wrapped around them both, tucking the smaller two close. They stayed in the tightly bound pile all night, perfectly snug against one another, leeching off each others' warmth.

Norway smiled lightly into Iceland's hair as Denmark snored lightly against the back of his neck, thinking that even with their little imperfections, this was exactly what he wanted...a family of his own.


End file.
